N D3330 20 OED11 KMFR LANKS

FMS Newsletter
Business and Regional Systems July 1998 Volume 1, Issue 2

Collins

Introduction The Collins FMS Newsletter updates our FMS customers with developments regarding our Collins FMS products. This issue includes certification news, a Feature Priority Poll and an introduction to the FMS Training Department. Also included is an overview on how the FMS determines position using multiple sensors as well as the first in a series of ARINC 424 leg type descriptions.

Feature Priority Poll Attached is a Feature Priority Poll, which each operator is encouraged to complete and return via mail or fax. The features listed are a collection gathered from previous operator inputs. If you have additional suggestions, please note them on the Feature Priority Poll. Prioritize the features using one of two methods. You may mark them in sequential order with one as the most desired feature, two as the second most desired feature, etc. Another method is to rank the features in categories of ten with the ten most highly desired features considered as high priority, the second group of ten considered as a medium priority and the remaining features considered as low priority. Collins FMS Training Support The Customer Service Training Department is pleased to be included in the FMS Newsletter. We look forward to presenting FMS operational tips and solutions to your training needs. Who are we? We are a part of the Rockwell Collins, Business and Regional Systems, Customer Service Department. We provide worldwide training support not only on pilot issues but also on flight line maintenance topics. Our primary function is to train the trainer. In other words, we support the training vendors that you routinely use such as Flight Safety International, Bombardier and Simuflite. We also support the training departments of many regional airlines.

Distribution This newsletter is published quarterly (January, April, July and October) and mailed to all operators included on the Collins FMS Newsletter mailing list. To be added to our mailing list, fax your name, organization, mailing address and phone and fax numbers to the attention of Todd Twachtmann at (319) 295-2530.

New Certifications Collins continues to certify FMS systems. Below are some of our most recent certifications.

AIRCRAFT Falcon 20

SYSTEM FMS-6000

HIGHLIGHTS Initial Collins FMS Certification Initial Collins FMS Certification

Falcon 2000 FMS-6000

For customers who want in-depth system knowledge, we have the capability to provide crew training in Cedar Rapids. By far the biggest benefit we can offer is our ability to provide highly qualified and experienced training pilots to answer your operational questions. Jim Wright leads the pilot training and is backed up by Gerry Zanardelli and Bob Brown. When you have questions give Jim a call at (319) 295-8573. If he doesnt answer, please leave a message on his voice mail or, if youre equipped, his e-mail address is jwright@collins.rockwell.com. You may fax information to Jim at (319) 295-1542. Hell answer your questions as quickly as possible. It is our intent to contribute a series of operating tips to this publication. Many of these tips are procedures that you, the customer, have contributed. If you are wondering about an issue, someone else is also probably curious about the same thing. In fact, your question may be something we think everyone should know about. So let us know your questions, dont keep them a secret.

out of the flight plan. Pressing the line key beside a waypoint will load it as the TO waypoint along with the subsequent waypoints from the history pages. This is a quick method to return to a previous non-approach waypoint. However, remember to check the waypoint lineup on the leg page before executing, since history pages are built in the order that the waypoints were either passed or deleted and that may not be the order you now want them. Never reload an approach from the history pages. Again, the sequence and altitude may not be correct. It is always best to load an approach from the departure/arrival menu page. Customer Input As stated in the April edition, operators are encouraged to provide feedback regarding operational suggestions or future newsletter topics. To ensure proper transmission and interpretation of operator input, please send written suggestions to the attention of Todd Twachtmann at: Fax (319) 2952530 E-mail tatwacht@Collins.Rockwell.com Coming Next Edition In upcoming newsletters, Rockwell Collins will provide details and descriptions of the various ARINC 424 leg types used to code FMS procedures. Although not fully understood by everyone, knowledge of leg types frequently provides insight into how Jeppesen uses the various leg types to break down procedures into data useable for the FMS to-fly procedures.

Did You Know? In order to reduce distraction, yellow FMS messages are not displayed for two minutes during takeoff and climb-out. The clock starts at 60 knots. However, it is important to note that only the noncritical FMS messages are inhibited. Yellow warnings critical to flight safety are always displayed. Passed or Edited Waypoints Are Retrievable From the History Pages Pressing the DIR key, then the PREV key will show the last 15 waypoints either passed or edited

OVERVIEW How the FMS Determines Position Minus all the Math___________
An often-asked question from Collins FMS users is How is the FMS position determined? Variations of the question include:
n n n

How is IRS used? How does the FMS navigate? How heavily is GPS weighted in position determination? The Simple Answer

Like many things, the simple answer is It depends! Since most people find such an answer less than satisfying, this document will provide an overview into the concepts of FMS position determination. Blended Solution Normally, the FMS uses all installed and available navigation sensors (GPS, DME / DME, VOR / DME and IRS) to determine position. Each sensors position is independently calculated, then the individual positions are blended to create the FMS position. The FMS POSITION SUMMARY page on the MFD provides a bearing / distance difference between the blended (FMS) position and each sensor capable of calculating a position independently. In areas of the world where VOR / DME and DME / DME coverage is adequate, both are good solutions. If installed, GPS provides a good solution. Reasonableness Check Each sensor is evaluated for reasonableness. For example, the FMS

selects VOR and DME navaids based on the FMS-calculated present position, the aircrafts distance from each station, each selected navaids service volume (that is the area within which the navaid has been flight-checked to be accurate) and the geometry of navaids that will give the best possible solution. After automatically tuning a DME, the FMS checks the identifier. If the identifier does not match the intended identifier, then the navaid is no longer used. The FMS then compares the actual station data (bearing for VOR, distance for DME) with the predicted station data. If a substantial difference exists, the station is not used. Sensor Weighting in the Solution In general, if GPS is installed and available, it is more heavily weighted than other sensors in the position solution. GPS is more heavily used if the GPS Probable Error is small, and is less heavily used as the Probable Error increases. The technical term for GPS Probable Error is Horizontal Figure of Merit (HFOM). It is an indication of the goodness of the GPS satellite geometry. For GPS to be used, the integrity of the data must also be monitored by means of the GPS-calculated HIL (Horizontal Integrity Limit) value. GPS HIL is an indication (in nautical miles) of the error that the GPS can guarantee will not be exceeded without annunciation. DME / DME usage in the position solution depends on geometry and reasonableness (as described in the previous section). The FMS uses data from DME stations that are separated by more than a 25 angle. In the example in Figure 1, of the five navaids shown, the following would be used (if all were within their service volume, received and
3

60 NM from the station. VOR / DME is removed from the solution when the navaid is outside its service volume or when the aircraft is overhead the station. Normally IRS is not used in FMS position solution. Instead, the difference or bias between each IRS and the FMS is constantly computed. (This is the result of the IRS drift.) In the event that all sensors except IRS are not available, the FMS then applies each IRS bias to each IRS position and uses the result as the IRS position. With time, it is assumed the IRS position will drift. When the FMS is using only IRS, no change to the bias is calculated, since no comparison source exists. Although this newsletter does not serve as a detailed operational description, it is intended to give additional insight into the determination of FMS position. Please contact the FMS Product Support group for additional information on this subject.

Figure 1

reasonable): either VOR / DME 1 or VOR / DME 2 (but not both), DME 3 and either VOR / DME 4 or VOR / DME 5 (but not both). VOR / DME is used to a lesser degree (it is de-weighted) as the distance from the station increases. Remember, a one-degree change in a VOR bearing equals one Nautical Mile (NM) change at

OVERVIEW FMS Leg Types __________________________________________

Summary Flight Management Systems utilize a set of industry standard leg type to-fly procedures such as SIDs, STARs and approaches. These leg types have a direct effect on the path the aircraft takes through space, even though these leg types are not specifically visible to the aircraft operator. Detail In the early days of Flight Management Systems, it was relatively easy enter the waypoints and the
4

system would fly from point to point. If you had an advanced system, it would even anticipate the turn onto the subsequent leg so as to roll the aircraft precisely on the new track with no overshoot. Flight Management Systems today do all that and much more. As the air traffic environment became increasingly complex, a method was needed to communicate the intent of complex procedures to a computer (the FMS) which is capable of only digital (yes or no) decisions.

Out of this need to communicate with the FMS, a set of industry standard leg types was developed. ARINC Specification 424 is the document that defines the format and content of Navigation Databases. Attachment 5 to ARINC 424 defines the Path and Terminator Concept. This concept was developed as a means to permit coding of Terminal Area Procedures, SIDs, STARs and Approach Procedures, without proliferating the number of named waypoints required to support such procedures. (Quoted from ARINC 42413, Attachment 5, page 142.) Simply put, the Path and Terminator Concept defines every leg of a procedure as having a termination point and some kind of path into that termination point. Paths As mentioned above, each leg type has some associated path (well, ok, almost every leg type more on that in the next issue). These path definitions take two basic forms: a fixed path across the ground (such as a course or track) or a floating path (such as a heading). Terminators Every leg has some type of termination point. Leg termination points (or terminators) fall into two distinct categories. The first category is the named waypoint terminator, which represents a geographic location that has a defined name in the database. These named waypoints may be entered into the FMS via the CDU keyboard and recalled from the Navigation Database. Named waypoint terminators appear on the MFD map as a four-pointed waypoint symbol.

Named Waypoint

Conditional Waypoint

The second leg terminator category is the conditional waypoint. As the name indicates, the leg terminates when a specified condition is met. Reaching a specified altitude or DME distance, crossing a VOR radial or intercepting the next leg of the flight plan are typical conditions that define a conditional leg terminator. Conditional waypoint terminators appear as small circles on the MFD map.

Leg Representation CDU and MFD The ARINC 424 two-letter leg type abbreviations and plain English descriptions of these leg types are listed on the following page. The figures that follow represent the intent of the leg type and are not necessarily the exact graphical format displayed on the MFD.

Further Reading For those who desire to dig deeper into the world of leg types, Attachment 5 to the ARINC 424 Specification has more than 50 pages of rules associated with the various leg types. The current version of ARINC 424 is the 3 version. The 4 1 1 version is in draft form. Future issues will discuss each leg type individually in further detail.

ARINC 424 TWO-LETTER LEG TYPE ABBREVIATIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS

424 Description CDU Legs Page Example ICT CID
045

IF TF

Initial Fix Track to a Fix

DBQ CF DF AF RF CA CD CR CI FA FD FC FM VA VD VR VI VM PI HF HA HM Course to a Fix Direct to a Fix Arc to a Fix Radius to a Fix Course to an Altitude Course to a DME Distance Course to a VOR Radial Course to Intercept (the next leg) Course from a Fix to an Altitude Course from a Fix to a DME Distance Course from a Fix to an Along Track Distance Course from a Fix to a Manual Termination Heading (Vectors) to an Altitude Heading (Vectors) to a DME Distance Heading (Vectors) to a VOR Radial Heading (Vectors) to Intercept (the next leg) Heading (Vectors) to a Manual Termination Procedure Turn Hold at a Fix Hold at a Fix to an Altitude Hold at a Fix to a Manual Termination
{L or R}110

SWISH
{L or R}(DIR)

ELEYS
10 ARC R

D090J

{Future}
045

(5000)
085

VNY/02
225

SEA225
090

(INTC)
070

(3300)
085

DDY/26
090

FIM090
110

(VECT)
070 H

(4500)
085 H

SSN/05
070 H

SMO225
090 H

(INTC)
110 H

(VECT)
P-TURN

(INTC)
HOLD AT CID HOLD AT

CID 5000
HOLD AT

CID

Initial Fix

Track to a Fix

Course to a Fix

Direct to a Fix

Radius to a Fix

Course to an Altitude

Course to a DME Distance

Course to a VOR Radial

Course to Intercept

Course from a Fix to an Altitude

Course from a Fix to an Along Track Distance

Course from a Fix to a Manual Termination

Heading to an Altitude

Heading to a DME Distance

Heading to a VOR Radial

Heading to Intercept

Heading to a Manual Termination

Procedure Turn

Hold at a Fix

FOR MORE INFORMATION contact Rockwell Collins 400 Collins Road N.E. Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52498

Phone (319) 295 4085 www.collins.rockwell.com Vol. 1, Issue 2 7-98 Marketing Services